CONTAMINATION OF TITANIUM CASTINGS BY ALUMINUM-OXIDE BLASTING

Objectives: It is desirable that the surfaces of surgical implants be uncontaminated by foreign materials to avoid untoward tissue reactions , and grit blasting is widely assumed to leave clean metal surfaces. S EM examination and X-ray microanalysis of a recovered 'pure' titanium implant casting that was associated with tissue breakdown revealed emb edded particles of alumina. The casting had been cleaned of investment by blasting with alumina grit. Methods: A variety of treatments of ca st titanium plates was used: (a) to establish that the observed alumin ium was due to the blasting grit, and (b) to determine whether removal of investment could be achieved effectively by other means. SEM exami nation and X-ray microanalysis were used. Results: The detected alumin ium was associated with embedded fragments identified as coming from t he blasting grit. Acid-pickling and mechanical (rotary instrument) tri mming produced minimally contaminated surfaces. Conclusions: Whilst un proven, the presence of the alumina is viewed with great concern as a possible causative agent in the observed tissue breakdown and procedur es avoiding alumina blasting are recommended as a precautionary measur e.